Zutara Week, Alternate Universe style
by Rose Gilmore
Summary: 7 sorta one-shots set years or months apart following the AU life of Zuko and Katara. Prompts from the 2008 Zutara week on Deviantart
1. Denim

Katara dialed her boyfriends number from memory.  
"What am I going to wear?"  
"Katara?"  
"Who else would it be? Mae Whitman?"  
"Wait-is she the one in one of those western love movies?"  
"Yes, Zuko. But thats not the point."  
"Right, you called about what to wear."  
"Yup." Katara affirmed.  
"You know I'm not a girl-I don't think about this stuff."  
"Yes," She smirked. "I know you are a guy."  
"Why don't you ask Suki.? After all wouldn't she have already gone though this?"  
"Yes. I remember what she wore, very Suki-ish."  
"But not you." Zuko read his girlfriend's mind.  
"Exactly."  
"I mean, this is _big!_" Katara pulled a dress up to her and then switched the phone to her other ear. "Its the signifying moment that i'm celebrating today. You should know about it. I mean wasn't it a huge deal to you?"  
"Zuko thought for a minute. "Uh, No." He said simply.  
"Not, don't lie. I was there. You _were_ excited!" Katara corrected him.  
"Yeah, a little. But i wasn't excited about not seeing you every day. And I wasn't overtly worried about what I was going to wear. Actually I think I just wore jeans and some random shirt.  
While Zuko was talking Katara picked up three different skirts and blouses and chosen against them. "Ok, You know i love you Zuko. But you're just not being any help."  
"But Like I said. _Im a guy, _I don't think about fashion."  
"Yeah, see you at 3:00."  
"Good luck babe." Zuko said and hung up.

Katara stod in the long line of her fellow students. There were only a handful that she knew.  
But mostly when she looked into the crowd of families and friends she saw people she knew. Everyone was there for her. Just like she would and was there for them.  
Katara walked onto the stage and received her diploma.  
"WHOOOOO GO KATARA!!" Her friends cheered her on.  
Katara walked down the stairs as some other student received their diploma. Locking eyes with Zuko, Katara semi lifted her graduation gown to reveal a plain looking pair of denim jeans.  
Zuko smiled.  
Katara smiled back and mouthed 'thanks'.

bAN:  
I don't own anything.  
Also, kinda a tribute to Gilmore girls, when Rory graduates and makes a stupid face to her mom. :D/b


	2. Electrifying

At the aiport they kissed.  
"Last call for flight 813231 to Massachusetts."  
He broke the kiss off, and stroked her hair. "Thats your flight."  
"...I could miss it."  
"Katara," he thought back over the past years of highschool. She'd worked hard for this. "You want this, you've sacrificed so much and worked so hard for this."  
"So?" She smiled peevishly-almost looking like she would throw her whole future away for him.  
But Zuko could see through that. He pulled out of their sweet embrace and placed his strong hands on her shoulders. "You will go to Harvard and study to become the greatest doctor their ever was. We'll still be strong. You will come back for the breaks and still compete in any surfing competion you want to. I know you will." Zuko smiled.  
He stated and blessed everything for her. They both were unsure but courage pulled him through to tell her what they both knew.  
Yet Katara was still timid. "You think?" She asked him.  
"Yes." He simply said.  
They kissed one last time before she ran and boarded her plane.  
Katara knew she would miss him, miss everyone, miss everything he did and was for her. But she sure would miss his electrifying kiss.

bI don't own anything/b


	3. Smug

"He hasn't called in a week!" Katara complained to Toph.  
"Katara?"  
"Yes Toph?"  
"Are you listening?"  
"Yes, Toph."  
"I-" Toph said slowly as if Katara was four. "Don't-" Toph waited for a second. "CARE!!" Toph shouted into the phone.  
Katara was aghast, speechless.  
"What?" Katara said.  
"You've been complaining to me for-" She waited a second for drama. "An hour and a half! I mean, it's aokay when you called for 10 min. I sympathized with you then. But not know." Toph took a moment to breath. "I'm sure somewhere in your room their is a stack of homework for you to do. And if that doesn't take your mind of sparky then heck! your in college--there must be some party."  
Silence.  
"...Just don't drink and drive."  
"Thanks Toph. I do have some work to finish I'm sure you do too."  
"Yeahhh, Now remember what I said about the party." Toph said, even though she new Katara wouldn't do that.  
"Yeah. Bye toph." Katara said and hung up.  
She finished her homework.  
Ate something for dinner.  
"It's been a week and a day!" Katara whined into the phone.  
"Do you know what time it is?" a tired Suki said into the phone.  
"Yes, it's exactly a week and one day since my jerk of a boyfriend called me."  
Suki got up and out of bed, walked to the kitchen for some milk. "Really? Katara thats sooosad!" She said sarcasticly.  
"Okay, I already called Toph. I don't need this sarcasm!! I know its late." She looked at her clock, 15 past midnight. "If it's midnight here-it's--"  
"3 in the morning here." Suki supplied.  
"Sory."  
Suki rumaged through her and her boyfriends small fridge. Finally finding some cookies she spoke, "This is obvious but seeing as you've overlooked the obvious in calling at proper times; Have you tried calling him?"  
"I'm not an idiot. I called him. ...Once." Katara paused waiting to get her friends annoying response. When Suki said nothing Katara started to explain. "See, we made this policy before I left for college; We'd call every day but we'd rotate. So as not to nag each other..." Katara went on about some (in Suki's opinion) stupid rule.  
Katara finished.  
"Hellloooo?"  
Suki jolted awake with a start, Katara sure could be loud sometimes.  
"Im here." Suk said.  
"Oh, good, I though you might have fell asleep."  
"Nope." Suki said tiredly. "Here's the deal; I'm gonna tell you what I'd do if for some reason I was you and my boyfriend was Zuko instead of Sokka. Okay?"  
For a minute Katara was confused but said okay.  
"Call your boyfriend, Annoy him and harass him. And as soon as the normal world is awake Sokka included I'll ask if he's sen Zuko. Okay? You know, maybe he just lost his cell or something."  
"Yeah, okay." Katara said.  
"Goodnight?"  
"Good night."  
katara hung up and decided against calling Zuko. Instead she flipped through the tv channels and lay down on the couch.  
While sitting on the couch she tuned out the mindless tv and thought to herself about what could've gone wrong with her relationship with Zuko. Everything was going fine, she'd made it almost to her second year of college without any slip ups or major fights. And now at the end, right when exams were coming around Zuko decided to stop calling? It was all very weird for her.  
Katara went back to her room to get her laptop.  
Nope, no new e-mail from a certain person.  
Katara went to the table and looked at her cell; no missed calls, no txts.  
Looking at the wall Katara saw it was now 2:00  
It would be late Zuko's time but she called him anyway.  
"Hello Zuko," She said smugly. "where are you?" She'd planned to leave a different sort of message but changed her mind. "Don't call me. I've got exams. Good bye."

Four days later Katara took her exams and hoped she got a good greade.  
Came back to her dorm and checked her messages. None.  
Before she went to bed she checked her e-mail. No messages from Zuko. Their was one from Teo just saying 'Hi'. she typed a reply back but deleted it all but the "Hey Teo" part. The rest was dripping with self pitty and resentment towards Zuko. Flagging the e-mail she decided to go to sleep.

oops, sorry about uploading the wrong chapter! :(

Anywhoo, I don't own anything and this and mythology was my hardest one to write.

A week later Katara exited her last class.  
She still hadn't heard from Zuko. And she'd decided against calling any of her friends back home. They had lives, and Katara didn't need their pity, or lack of it.  
"Katara, party in room 335. Will you be coming?" It was someone from one of her classes.  
"Uh, maybe." Katara said, not wanting to admit she didn't go to college party's.  
"Okay, well, it starts at 9:00 pm if you wanna come."  
Entering her dorm she heard her brothers voice on the answering machine leaving a message.  
"Hey lil' sis! As you're 'second year of college is over' clelebration we've decided to pay for your ticket back home for the summer." Sokka paused. "You leave two days from now, BYE!" He finished quickly, he knew his sis well enough to know she usually didn't like to do things sporadically.  
"Great." Katara said to herself. She needed some money help. She hadn't really had time to work this year.  
Katara wallowed in her self pity about Zuko and then finally walked over to room 335.  
"Glad you made it!" The girl from her class said.  
And that was the beginning of her first and worst college party ever.

Katara looked horrible as she boarded the plane.  
Suffice to saw she didn't look better when she landed.  
"Katara!" A man called once she arrived.  
She looked up, and to her surprise she saw, "Zuko?"  
It didn't look like him, he had a cast on his leg and was looking horrible. She was speechless as he hobbled over to her with crutches.  
In silence they sat down on the nearest chairs.  
"I lost my cell, and then I got into a small car accident." Zuko explained.  
Looking at her face Zuko quickly said, "No-I'm okay. The doctors just didn't realease me untill yesterday..."  
"I'm glad you're okay." katara finally said. "Why didn't you or anyone tell me?"  
"You had exams. Last year you said it was so hard for you. We didn't wanna distract you."  
"Oh," Katara said, she had so much to say, but instead she just kissed Zuko and decided to plott her revenge on her so called friends later. At least on the ones who knew and 1) didn't tell her when they talked, or 2) didn't pick up a phone and call her.

"Hello?"  
"Hey Toph."  
"Uh-oh"  
"What?"  
"It's just that you've prbaly seen Zuko."  
"Yup."  
"Your prbaly made at me."  
"Yup."  
"You brobaly didn't go to a party..."  
"Nope."  
"What?"  
Silence.  
"Wipe that smug look off your face. I still feel hung over."  
Toph just laughed.

AN: This chapter got confused with a different chapter and fandom. Sorry!  
Also, this was really hard for me to write, this one and Mythology.  
Please review! :D


	4. Manipulative

"No." Zuko firmly told his girlfriend as she pulled her sky blue car into the Malls parking lot.  
"What?" Katara asked innocently.  
"I'm not going to spend part of my summer shopping!" He got out of the car and slammed the door.  
"When you said 'lets do something fun today' I did _not_ agree to go shopping!" Zuko ranted on.  
"Yes you did." Katara said as she walked across the parking lot.  
"No I did not, you manipulated me!"  
"I did not." Katara said.  
"Yes, you did! You said, 'lets do something fun together,' I said okay, and then you said; 'lets use my car' and before I could even ask where or what we were doing you hung up the phone!"  
By this time they'd walked the short distance into the mall and Katara had steered them into Macy's.  
"Uh huh." Katara responded as she looked at some bath towels.  
"Ka-tar-aaa." Zuko whined. "This is dull and dumb!! You do this with Suki or one of your girlfriends. Not with me!!"  
"Oh look! The kitchen supplies!" Katara said ignoring Zuko.  
He sighed.  
It was a quite walk until the walked to the dresses and Katara asked what Zuko thought of a chartreuse mini dress.  
"I think the orange would look better on you."  
"Oh," Katara held onto the chartereuse and moved to the blouse section.  
Zuko rolled his eyes. "Why'd you even ask me?"  
"I like to know what you think."  
Katara placed a blouse up to her to see if it would fit.  
"Why am I even here?"  
"1, because it's fun.' Katara looed into Zuko's eyes. "And 2, because I _love_ being with you."  
"And 3," Zuko filled in. "Because your manipulative and evil!" Part truth part elaboration.  
"Come on, I may be a _little_ manipulative, but wait till I try the bathing suits on." Katara said suggestively.  
"Manipulator." Zuko said with a smirk and followed his girlfriend to the swimsuit section.

bDon't own anything.  
Review please/b


	5. Mythology

Sometimes I feel like true love and living hapily ever after is just true urban mythology.  
I mean, 1 out of 3 couples get divorced. And I'm not even gonna start with the rate of dating couples who break up.  
For instance, My brother and Suki. They've been broken up and gotten back together more times then I can remember. Now their married and have two kids. What happens the next time they break up?  
Or, like my Dad; people can die. and just like that the myth is broken.  
That's why I'm so worried; I sit here late, late, the night before my wedding to the love of my life Zuko and honestly besides the freezing cold breeze I feel scared.  
Scared of putting so much on the line-just for some ancient mythology we now call love.  
There are so many unanswered words, what if's and countless fears.  
For goodness sakes! I'm only 25! I've got the world ahead of me! I've just finished all the years of medical school.  
I mean, yes, Zuko's been there for me. And I can count the times we've broken up or had serious fights on one hand.  
But then, as I sit thinking, out in this deep dark night, the night before my wedding-I know that maybe this is one Mythology story I can count on.  
Maybe, just maybe we'll be all right.

bI know these are short, but I wrote them fast for Zutara week, (last month on deviantart,) and you had to upload them on the correct day.  
Dont own anything./b


	6. Stare

They'd been married for two years now. And today was there first _big_ fight.  
"Fine! It's not like I care!" Zuko shouted at his wife.  
She rolled her eyes, "Neither do I!" She got her purse and car keys. "I'm going to the clinic. Sokka expects us at the party. I'll meet you there. And you _better_ be there." Not even waiting for Zuko's answer since he had already turned on the t.v. and was ignoring her, she left their house and slammed the door.

"Hello Chey," Katara greeted the receptionist at her clinic.  
Chey looked up, surprised. "What are you doing here?" She quickly checked the calendar. "Today's your day off."  
"I just have to finish some paperwork." Katara lied. She didn't have any work to do, she just had to get away. "If anyone needs me, I'm available."  
"Okay." The receptionist answered.  
With that Katara went to her office, closed the door, and cried.  
She wanted to call Suki or Toph, but today was the party, celebrating Suki and Sokka's -- well, just them I guess. After all their break-ups and make ups. They thought they deserved it. They even suckered their neighboors 17 year old daughter to little Gavin and Chey. Katara would not spoil there day with her and Zuko's problems. And since she couldn't share with anyone she put on some music and cried, washed her face and faced whatever problems her patients had that day.

"What?" Sokka answered his phone.  
"You wouldn't believe what happened." Zuko said, unlike his wife he had no problem burdening his brother in law. "Katara and I are in the _hugest_ fight in our life!"  
"Finally!" Sokka said.  
"What does that mean?"  
"You guys are like the poster couple for a happy and perfect relationship. ...Unfortunately I lost the bet. I thought it would've happened _after_ the party tonight." Sokka said.  
"Bet? I'm just going to ignore that. But I'd rather be the poster couple for a good relationship instead of the poster couple for breaking up and getting back together! Like you and Suki."  
"But look who's sleeping on the couch now?" Sokka said.  
Zuko really wished he could give him a dirty stare but since he was on the phone that couldn't really happen. Instead he just said nothing.  
"Sooo I wanna know what happened!"  
"We were talking about you guys," Zuko said referring to Sokka and his family. "And I guess I casually mentioned how nice it is that you and Suki have such cute kids and--"  
"Oh no. You didn't." Sokka said, knowing where this conversation was going.  
"Yeah, I guess I did. But I don't get what the huge deal is! I mean, It's not like I came out and said 'Let's have kids'. I mean,- and then she gets all made at me, and screams how she and I were doing fine, and that she has a career. And 'what about your carer?' And then all of the sudden were yelling at each other, and she slams the door and leaves."  
"Wow, that's pretty bad." He shook his head. "I can't believe I lost to Toph. She said your first major fight would be about kids."  
"Nice, this is just wonderful! You are being so much help!"  
"Who else are you going to go to Zuko? _Aaang?_" Sokka said.  
"Ouch! That hurt! But come'on what _am_ I gonna do? Katara is totally pissed!"  
"Here's what you can do;--"  
"Yes?" Zuko asked.  
Beep. Beep.  
"Damn it!" Zuko said when he realized the phone went dead. Curse Sokka and him never charging his phone.

Katara drove to the Restaurant Club place that the party was at, the music was off.  
She had her hands on her the wheel at exactly 10 and 4, and that was when she realized she left her ring at the clinic! She couldn't turn around now, she was almost late as it was! Zuko would kill her.

"Congratulations Suki!" Katara said as she rushed up to her sister in law and friend.  
"Thanks! This is soo fun!! Everyone here, great music, food and no kids!" Suki shouted over the blaring music.  
_Kids,_ it hurt Katara.  
"Yay!! It is fun! Sooo, is everyone here?" Katara asked, masking her pain.  
Suki went on to list everyone that was coming and who was here when she saw Zuko.  
Zuko.  
It was like one of the movies, where the spot light is just focused on him and the music went down, and you could no longer hear what other people were talking about. It was just the two people staring at each other.  
"That's totally awesome Suki. I'm really thirsty, I'm gonna get something to drink."

Hakoda coughed loudly into the mic, trying to get the attention of everyone. No one heard him, he moved over to and found the off switch for the DJ's mic.  
The music went off, and all of the sudden it was extremely quite.  
"If you could please raise your glasses and toast the couple of the evening, My son and his lovely wife Suki."  
"Whoooo!" Toph shouted.  
Zuko spoke up. "For the couple who taught us what _not _to do. And most of all the winner of the award for 'how many times can we break up and get back together in out life time?' Yes, I think you're friends can agree it's been fun watching the Soap of your life!!"  
Everyone drank to that.  
Katara stared at Zuko while he toasted the couple. He was so hansom and great. He really cared for people.

It was late when Katara and Zuko finally got to talk.  
"I'm willing to think about it."  
"It?" Zuko said, almost tipsy.  
Katara stood on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear, "Kids."  
"Oh,"  
And with that, they kissed, sharing with each other the taste of what alchol they'd been drinking all night.

They would be okay. Not everyone knew they were together, or even married. After all Katara didn't have her ring on, and even though they were arguing and mad at each other the way they stared at each other showed they were together. And all the single hot Men and Women stayed away from them.  
You could just tell with a couple like that.  
Even when their mad at each other they can't help but stare at each other with eyes of deep love.

bSecond last one!

I don't own anything.  
Also who can guess what the next one will be??  
..I know you won't have time to cuz I'm uploading it all at once but, who cares?!/b


	7. Pinch

Katara woke up late Saturday morning.  
She turned to her right and noticed Zuko was already up.  
Katara got up and went to her dresser, picked up her old pair of faded denim jeans and a paisley blue top.  
Katara slipped on the denim jeans but the couldn't button, instead they pinched her.  
Breaking the morning silence Katara called out, "Zuko! Come here a moment."  
"What?" Her husband asked.  
"Did you shrink my jeans?"  
He looked at her like 'when have I ever done the laundry'. "No." He said.  
"Okay. Well, these don't fit!" Katara tried at the stubborn button again.  
"Here, lemme try." Zuko said and tried, but failed. He shrugged it off, soo you've outgrown them. You've had them for _years!_" He went to her dresser and got a different, newer pair and gave them to his wife. "Here, try these."  
"Okay." Katara but the denim jeans on and tried to suck in her stomach. "Ugh!" Katara said when she couldn't fit in and the denim pinched her skin again. Finally admitting defeat, "No use."  
"Just please don't tell me we are going shopping for clothes today, Katara." Zuko said.  
"Ohmygosh!" Katara said finally realizing what this could mean for her.  
"What?" Zuko called after as his wife ran to the bathroom.  
Katara shuffled to the back of the cabinet and pulled out a small little box, and quickly went to use the toilet.  
"Katara? What are you doing? What's going on?" Zuko said worriedly.  
Katara got out and looked at Zuko's watch, "Tell me when 2 minutes is up."  
"Katara? Does this mean- could we be?"  
Katara bit her lip, this is what she wanted, she adjusted to the idea of having a family and a smaller career. Uhh!! This was taking forever.  
"Maybe." She answered Zuko.  
Uh-oh, Zuko thought, she only got monosybilic when important things were stressing her out.  
So they sat down on the bathroom floor, staring at each other in silence, each drifting off with their own thoughts. Katara's jeans still unbuttoned.  
"Time?" She asked.  
"Yes," Zuko said and stood up.  
She picked it up and they both read it.  
Blue.  
All of the sudden she surprised her self and smiled the biggest smile in her life.  
Zuko spun her around.  
As soon as she reached the ground Katara shouted. "I'M PREGNANT!!"  
"You're- you're-" Zuko was so excited but he couldn't say it.  
"I'm pregnant!!" She shouted for him. "I'm so excited! This is so awesome!"  
"So, you're glad?" Zuko asked cautiously, his wife hadn't been to open to it six months ago.  
"YES!! Oh Zuko!!" Katara gushed and kissed him.  
"I have to go call Suki, and Toph and my Dad-"  
Zuko interrupted Katara, "Are you sure you wanna call him right now?"  
"Yes. We're married, he'll be much happier then when he heard that my hair-brained brother knocked up his girlfriend." She paused. "And, I wanna let your Dad know too. 'Kay?"  
"Okay," He wasn't sure, but Zuko knew somehow his Dad might be happy for them.  
And so his wife went to call everyone in his address book while Zuko thought silently, _at least we know why the jeans didn't fit._

**FIN**

bDont own anything.  
This was fun!!  
Please review!!/b


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